Highlands Rice Project

The Highlands Rice Project was part of a broader programme to develop the highland zone, and sought to increase the agricultural production and food self-sufficiency of farmers with 1 ha or less of land.

The main thrusts of the project were:

• To intensify irrigated rice production so that small farmers could achieve self-sufficiency and produce a surplus to sell in the region’s urban markets
• To intensify cultivation of other food crops such as cassava, maize, beans, rainfed rice and potatoes
• To combat soil erosion
• To improve employment opportunities for landless farmers and those with very small plots

To achieve these objectives, the project also supplied fertilizer, pesticides and agricultural implements, rehabilitated roads and storage facilities, and trained extension workers.

Source: IFAD